Customs Black Pearl Deco Coupe @ GNRS ?

Hey,

The fact you see fifty-eight Chevrolet shapes in the quarter lights is do in no small part to the fact General Motors designers spent considerable time in europe at auto shows in France, England & Germany. Harely Earl and later Bill Mitchel were both big fans of foreign automotive design.

 

I walked around this one several times. It is possible that Hetfield may gain as much fame as a patron of the automotive arts as a musician. I look forward to seeing how this car ends up.

 

Hey Chili, in a way, Hetfield's patronage of coachbuilders & other artists is very traditional! The well moneied always have kept the artisans & craftsmen outa the soup lines


'' Picture all experts as if they were mamals ''

 

COOL IS JUST COOL, any way you put it...........BEAUTIFUL is an understatement and the Quality is undescribable............well done

 

Now THAT is a noteworthy quote!

 

What a beautiful automobile , I was so busy at the show I missed that corner of our building , dammit ,the craftsmanship looks awesome in the photos. I just got a call they are going to use one of our 40 column shift columns in it, so that made my day Hetfield has ours in a few of his cars , no t*lt columns for him !

 

That thing is very tasteful. Gorgeous work.

 

Hey,

The fast roofline & the falling waistline design motifs were used by pre-war french coachbuilders like Letourneur & Marchand, Marcel Pourtout, Saoutchik, and english coachbuilders like Gurney Nutting and Freestone and Webb. We would see this same line treatment, here in america, in the mid fifties on GM marques like Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and yeah, even fiftyeight Chevrolets!

I'd be nice to see more of these lines used in the building of today's radical kustoms, but the time, skill & money involved pretty much dictate their rarity

Thanks again for the posted pictures



" Beware the irrational however seductive "

 

I agree. Pointy corners dont seem right on a car that is round everywhere else. Its kinda like using square headlites on that car, it would be wrong

 

The skill in this car is unreal and now knowing the drive train just makes it that more proof that James has great taste in rides along the lines of Alice Coopers 40 ford

 

cheese and rice... that car is humbling. good on hetfield for doing this one too...

 

I'd also like to see more of the "traditional" coach style used in building customs today, but the skills needed would not make for many of these being built. IIRC, Doug Thompson built a 47 Packard back in the 90's using French streamline touches in it's design...debuted it at a Leadsled Specacular in Michigan, Maybe Holland. But it really didn't go over very well, I dont' think the backyard builder mentality of the "carriers of the torch" ( not meant in a demeaning way) or the Barris school, understood the car. I loved it! Roof ridge, and swoopy side window opening, and all!

 

Yeah Mark, that deep purpleish brown metalic coloured one When I first saw that build I thought wow! this is really different from what we were seeing in the first decade of the rebirth of kustoms! That build was a good fifteen-twenty years ahead of the curve in kustoms. Today, had it been shot in a pastel pearl and previewed by Zocchi or D'Agostino they'd all be ga, ga over it The fat radials and wires killed it foe me, however

" Meanwhyle, back aboard The Tainted Pork "

 

Does the fact that it was shown at GNRS disqualify it for eventually competing for America's Most Beautiful Custom? It would surely do well in Sacramento.

 

Next time I talk to him, I'll axe'm if I can post some of it.

 

Wow that is out of this world. Unbelievable metal work. Super craftsman.

 

Not feeling it. Great in bare metal though. Why choose a dark color that hides the work?

 

This thing was in TRJ #60. Can't wait to see their pics of the final car.

 

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Here's a shot I took of it last night…


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At the risk of getting mauled - the car is beautiful but I find the roof too flat especially at the rear as it obviously 'borrows' a lot from the styling of the Delage D8 120 Aerosport below. Nonethel;ess this is a superb achievement and I applaud the use of the Jaguar Mk IV chassis and running gear....

 

Hey,

I just returned from seeing the show, and when standing next to the vehicle, the dark colour works to show off the volume of the shapes. I think I'd have gone with a medium solid pastel colour, but no way in hell a pearl try-coat, candy or metalic.

The brass brightwork is a deal killer for me as it reminds me of the ''guetto'' option featured during the "SuperFly'' era on Caddies & Lincolns with all the brass work, radiator shells and the chrome swan on the hood.

Still a major tilt of the fedora to anyone who builds/comissions a build outside the box, and nota ''me-too mobile''!

" The ice cream truck in his neighborhood plays Helter-Skelter "

 

A touch off topic but here's a company making reproductions of them.


http://delahayeusa.com/delahaye-pacific.php

 

Saw it at the show yesterday....not enough space to post why it is the essence of a classic custom car. This is proof positive that coachbuilders are still around.

 

I'm sure I've seen something like that window line on a Derby Bentley. I can't place the coachbuilder, though; someone like Thrupps or Maythorn. It's in a book of my dad's. I hope I remember to look it up the next time I'm there.

I'm feeling increasingly vindicated. I've been sketching "coachbuilt" hot rods since the '80s.

 

And................no need for vindication, coachbuilt automobiles have always been rolling works of art, some more than others!

" Life ain't no Disney movie "

 

A few I snapped of it at the show Saturday. I really wish it had chrome trim. It really is a piece of rolling art! Rest of my photos from the show are here: http://www.eastwood.com/blog/eastwood-chatter/gnrs-2014/

 

Totally agree about the trim. I think the brass makes it look cheap and tacky.

 

nickel plating would have done it justice. Bloody sweet car and amazing craftsmanship regardless

 

I saw it at GNRS and was so disappointed with the end results. I think anything but the brass would have looked better. The hubcaps look like cheap spray paint. The basic car is cool, the trim finish ruins it (it needs nickel or chrome.)

can someone photoshop a Trans Am bird to the hood or decklid of that thing